Cutter-thimble for grape and other picking.



A. M. SOUTHWORTH. GUTTER THIMBLE POR GRAPE AND OTHER PIGKING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1908.

y Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

@mi h1 enzo attenta? UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

ALVA M. SOUTHWORTH, OF CUCAMONGA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE R.

THAYE'PWOF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA.

CUTTER-THIMBLE FOR GRAPE AND OTHER PICKING.

To atl 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, AL'VA M. SoUTHwoRTn, a citizen of the .United States of America, residing at Cucamonga, in the countyof San Bernardino and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gutter-lhimbles for Grape and other Picking, of which the following is a 'specification.

rlhis invention relates to a thumb thimble intended for use by grape, berry and other pickers and cotton topper, whereby the stem of the fruit can be conveniently and quickly severed without marring the fruit or danger of the same dropping.

The invention has for one of its objects to provide a device of this character of comparatively simple, inexpensive and durable construction and so designed as to be convenient and reliable in use.

Another object ofi the invention is the provision of a fruit pickers thimble having means for conveniently and detachably securing the thimble upon the thumb of the user and equipped with a steel blade yfor severing `the stems of the fruit, the blade heilig removable or permanently secured to the thimble, as desired.

With these objects in view and others7 as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of` constructionand arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claim appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one of the embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the device applied and showing the use thereof. Fig. 2 isa-side elevation of the device. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section of the thumb piece. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the inner end .of the thumb piece. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the removable blade. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the clasp for holding the thumb piece in position.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. l

Referring to the drawing, A designates a copperor other sheet metal thimble shaped to conveniently fit over the extremity of the thumb of the user, and projecting rearwardly I Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 3, 1908. I Serial No. 436,504.

Patented Aug. 17, 190e.

from opposite sides of this thumb pieceare apertured lugs l to which are connected flexible elements, such as chains 2, thathave their rear extremities connected with the forwardly extending lugs on the Urshaped clasp l5. This clasp consists of va strip of spring metal that is shaped to conveniently fit around the thumb at a point between the first and secondjoint thereof, the extremities of the said inet-al strip being curved outwardly vat 4 in opposite directions so as to form a mouth into which the thumb can be readily inserted. The chains 2 permit the thumb joint to be worked without restriction.

Secured to the thimble piece A Vis a blade C positioned similarly to the thumb nail, and the outer edge 5 thereof is beveled like a chisel, so that the stem of the fruit can be readily severed, the fruit being taken in the hand in such a manner as to place the stem over theindexfingerto form a Arest for the stem as the latter is severed by the cutting edge 5 of the blade, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The blade C is preferably arched or con-4 cavo-convex m a transverse plane, and the opposite longitudinal edges of the blade are shouldered at 6 by reducing the rear end of the blade to form a tail piece 7 The blade can be permanently secured to the thimble piece A, if desired, but in the present instance the blade is intended to be removable so that a worn one can bel easily replaced or the bladel removed from time to time for sharpening. The thumb piece A has resilient parallel flanges 8 extending longitudinally thereof, and the-edges of the blade at 9 engage under-these flanges, and the forward ends 10 of the flanges engage the shoulders G of the blade when the latter is in operative position. The flanges 8 being resilient, frictionally hold the blade against the outer surface of the thumb piece A so that accidental displacement is prevented.

From the foregoing description taken in connectionjiwith the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the constructionand of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device'which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as are Within the scope of the claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is Y A device of the class described comprising a thimble having a pair of parallel flanges extending toward each other and terminating adjacent the middle of the thimble, a

blade disposed over the top of the thimble and having its opposite edges recessed at i one end whereby the recessed edges can pass between and under the flanges, the inner ends of the recesses forming shoulders engaging the ends of the flanges, a cutting 15 edge on o ne end of the blade disposed beyond the tip of the thimble, and means for securing the thimble to the thumb of the user.

In testimon whereof I aix my signature 20 GEO R. THAYER, F. A. LUCAS. 

